Fall Protection Industry October Month in Review

As a leader in fall protection services, W.S. Safety keeps a close eye on construction safety industry news. Here are a few highlights that we found newsworthy this October.

This month started out with the First Hawkeye safety conference held in Coralville, IA. Professionals in the fields of construction, architecture, health and safety received training and education on workplace safety. More than 400 people attended the conference which included seminars on topics such as Fall Protection 101, Designing and Building Clean, rigging and Infection Control Risk Assessment. See complete article here.

Wood frame construction for buildings of up to six stories was approved by the Ontario Building Code. The former limit had been four stories. According to the President and CEO of ROCK Advisors, Inc., "This significant change will provide greater flexibility and significant cost-savings in new apartment construction. We plan to discuss this, and several similarly important industry topics at our upcoming conference in Toronto." These changes come into effect on January 1, 2015, and will bring the province to similar standards already set in British Columbia, as well as in several jurisdictions in the US and the European Union. See complete article here.

In Michigan, MIOSHA is partnering with small employers to help buy safety equipment by offering matching grants of up to $5,000 to make improvements in workplace safety and health. "With a total of $500,000 available from MIOSHA, that's a $1 million investment in keeping Michigan's workers safe and healthy," said Martha Yoder, director of the agency. To qualify for the grant, an employer must have 250 or fewer workers and must fall under MIOSHA's jurisdiction. (For a full list of qualifications click here.)

Sadly, it has been reported that a construction worker's fall this past summer was deemed preventable by officials in Watertown, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. While wearing a safety harness, the employee fell to his death while removing shingles because he was not properly anchored. OSHA area director Warren Simpson said in a statement, "Being tied to an independent anchorage point is a critical element of fall protection. Otherwise, there is nothing to stop a worker from falling and suffering a fatal or disabling injury." See complete article here.

And finally, a new workplace safety education program has been launched in Manitoba. SAFE Work on Wheels is a mobile presentation that offers four visual demonstrations illustrating the hazards and pitfalls of working without the proper safety protection equipment and precautions. The presentations are free and are part of Manitoba's current five-year plan for the prevention of workplace injury and illness prevention. For more information click here.